Change is a reality in business whether we like it or not. Business environments change. Economies change. Team dynamics change. Technology changes rapidly. In fact, life in general is about change. And if we habitually resist change, we limit the potential of all that’s available to us.
One reason so many people resist change is because they must change in the process. Others resist change because they focus on how hard the change will be, the possible negative outcomes, and fear of the unknown. Moreover, it’s easy to become comfortable in our current circumstances, even if they don’t lead to happiness and success.
In our tendency to focus on the difficulties rather than the benefits of change, we stop ourselves from exploring opportunities and taking action. We avoid change because we only focus on what we perceive as the downsides of it. This must be overcome with a more balanced perspective if you want to experience more happiness and success professionally and personally.
Honest self-appraisal is vital in choosing to make a change. As you become conscious of the negative feelings and undesirable results of your choice to avoid change, you can use that discomfort to propel yourself forward. Most of us reach a point where we can’t take it anymore. Getting really honest with yourself will help you reach this threshold sooner, saving precious time and resources in creating a reality you do find pleasing and rewarding.
If, during your honest self-appraisal, you find you’re not pleased with the way things are going in your business or life, choose to change how you perceive change. By doing so, you better position yourself to take actions to improve your situation and experience happiness and success.
In my coaching and consulting work, I show people how their current thought and behavior patterns work against what they want — how they’re actually working against themselves and the happiness and success they desire. We then develop new thoughts and behaviors that enable them to change their realities in positive ways. The focus here is on the reasons for change, the process of change, and the benefits for doing so.
One example of this would be letting go of a team member who possesses all the skills necessary to do the job, but whose attitude and behavior damage workplace culture, customer relations and the bottom line. If you feel an aversion to certain team members because of their negativity, then change is in order.
This personnel situation is all too common in the business world and only becomes more damaging the longer it’s allowed to continue.
Business owners and managers often avoid personnel changes because of the time, effort and money involved in hiring and training a replacement. That’s not to mention the confrontations that can occur when letting someone go or the fear of retribution, unemployment claims and being bad-mouthed
As you turn your attention from what at first appears to be the overwhelming effort involved in creating positive change and focus instead on the benefits, you’ll take on changes with an energy that makes the effort a lot less daunting than originally perceived. A major barrier to change is eliminated when you focus on how it will improve you and the situation.
If your business has hit a rough patch, your health is declining or your relationships aren’t fulfilling, use your awareness of these facts to face the reality resistance to change diminishes your happiness and success more and more each day. The next step is to seek assistance and make the needed changes.
Change is much easier when we choose to see it in a positive light. As we embrace change, we alter our perception of it from a bad thing to a positive thing filled with potential and opportunity. Human beings are amazing, and they can accomplish great feats once they open their minds to possibility and then decide to take action.
